וַתִּקַּ֨ח צִפֹּרָ֜ה צֹ֗ר וַתִּכְרֹת֙ אֶת־עָרְלַ֣ת בְּנָ֔הּ וַתַּגַּ֖ע לְרַגְלָ֑יו וַתֹּ֕אמֶר כִּ֧י חֲתַן־דָּמִ֛ים אַתָּ֖ה לִֽי׃
Then Tsippora took a flint and cut off the foreskin of her son, and touched it to his feet, and said, “Surely, you are a bridegroom of blood to me.”
Morphology
- וַתִּקַּ֨ח (vattiqqaḥ) – Root: לקח (l-q-ḥ); Form: Qal imperfect with vav consecutive, 3fs; Translation: “Then she took”; Notes: Tsipporah’s immediate action.
- צִפֹּרָ֜ה (Tsipporah) – Root: צפר (ts-p-r); Form: Proper noun, feminine; Translation: “Tsipporah”; Notes: The wife of Moshe.
- צֹ֗ר (tsor) – Root: צור (ts-w-r); Form: Noun, singular, masculine; Translation: “A flint”; Notes: Indicates the tool used for cutting.
- וַתִּכְרֹת֙ (vattikhrot) – Root: כרת (k-r-t); Form: Qal imperfect with vav consecutive, 3fs; Translation: “And cut off”; Notes: Describes the circumcision action.
- אֶת־עָרְלַ֣ת (et-orlat) – Root: ערל (ʿ-r-l); Form: Noun, singular, feminine construct; Translation: “The foreskin of”; Notes: Refers to the object being cut.
- בְּנָ֔הּ (benah) – Root: בן (b-n); Form: Noun, singular, masculine with 3fs suffix; Translation: “Her son”; Notes: Indicates the direct object of the action.
- וַתַּגַּ֖ע (vattaggaʿ) – Root: נגע (n-g-ʿ); Form: Hiphil imperfect with vav consecutive, 3fs; Translation: “And touched”; Notes: Describes the act of applying the foreskin.
- לְרַגְלָ֑יו (leraglav) – Root: רגל (r-g-l); Form: Noun, plural, masculine with 3ms suffix; Translation: “To his feet”; Notes: Likely referring to Moshe or a symbolic gesture.
- וַתֹּ֕אמֶר (vattomer) – Root: אמר (ʾ-m-r); Form: Qal imperfect with vav consecutive, 3fs; Translation: “And said”; Notes: Indicates Tsipporah’s statement.
- כִּ֧י (ki) – Form: Conjunction; Translation: “Surely”; Notes: Introduces the reason or explanation.
- חֲתַן־דָּמִ֛ים (ḥatan-damim) – Root: חתן (ḥ-t-n) & דם (d-m); Form: Noun construct; Translation: “Bridegroom of blood”; Notes: Reflects the covenantal or ritual language.
- אַתָּ֖ה (attah) – Root: Pronoun; Form: 2ms; Translation: “You”; Notes: Addressing Moshe or possibly YHWH.
- לִֽי׃ (li) – Root: Pronoun; Form: 1cs; Translation: “To me”; Notes: Expresses a personal connection or significance.